EXPRESSION OF ADHESION MOLECULES IN PAGETOID RETICULOSIS (WORINGER-KOLOPP-DISEASE)

Cell adhesion molecules play a critical role in lymphocyte migration a nd homing. They convey tissue-specific homing properties to lymphocyte subsets and regulate the positioning of these subsets in the body. In a patient with pagetoid reticulosis, a rare form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma characterized by extreme epitheliotropism, we examined the ex pression of adhesion molecules. The neoplastic T lymphocytes showed a strong expression of cutaneous lymphocyte antigen, a skin-homing recep tor which interacts with E-selectin on skin endothelium. alpha(E) beta (7), an adhesion molecule interacting with E-cadherin on epithelial ce lls, was also expressed on tumour cells. These findings suggest that a dhesion molecules are responsible for the unique growth pattern in pag etoid reticulosis, and for the clinical behaviour of the disorder.